We’ve all been there: you’ve applied for a job in the field you’re passionate about, and you’re doing great with the interview process. But then you get an unexpected email from a former colleague who says they heard your former boss give a bad employment reference about you at a meeting last week.
And that’s when everything starts going downhill. You start to second-guess yourself and wonder if maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to take on this new position in the first place. And you left to ask, “can a previous employer give a bad reference?”—yes, they can.
It can feel like there’s nothing you can do about it, but there is. You have to handle the situation before it gets any worse. And luckily for you, keeping bad employment references away from blowing your career is pretty easy. Let’s look at some tips.
Can an employer give a bad employment reference?
Having a bad employment reference can be a career killer. If you have a bad job reference, it’s likely because you had some issues at work. But if you don’t have any other references to speak of, this doesn’t mean that your employer won’t hire you. There are many things you can do to make sure that your bad reference stays away from blowing up your career.
First and foremost, be honest with yourself and tell the truth about what happened at your old job. If you were fired or quit your job on bad terms with your boss, say so—so that the person who is reading your resume knows exactly what happened and why. This is especially important if the reason for leaving was something negative.
If there were no legitimate reasons for leaving your job or if you left under duress, then focus on making yourself look good by talking about how great of an employee and person you were before leaving. Your reputation matters more than anything else when it comes time to apply for new jobs—so make sure it’s solid.
Lastly, always keep in mind that an employer will look at past employers as well as past coworkers when deciding whether or not they want to hire someone new into their company; if there is any reason that could terminate your chances of getting hired, you should settle it earlier.
How to avoid getting a bad employment reference
If you’re a job seeker, it’s not enough to be great at your work—you’ve got to make sure that your prospective employers know that you’re great at your work. And it’s not always easy to do that, especially if you have a bad employment reference.
But there are steps you can take to keep those bad employment references away from blowing up your career — and here they are.
Ask around: Talk to friends and family members who have worked with the person you want to give you a reference, and ask them what they think of them. You might be surprised by what they say.
Speak to the person: One of the ways to go about avoiding a bad employment reference is to have a conversation with them. If you’ve had a bad experience with the person, both of you must discuss and reach a common ground. This will help you to avoid any unnecessary drama in the future.
Get in touch: If you can’t get in touch with the person who will give you the reference, contact their supervisor or manager directly and ask them about their experience working with them.
Prepare yourself: If possible, anticipate any questions that come up during an interview and answer them confidently. Remember: even if someone tells your employer negative things about your skill set, it doesn’t mean they’ll completely rub you off. Instead, you should try to bring the positives to the game. Get more recommendations and references from other people who will speak positively about your work.
The best way to handle a bad employment reference is to avoid it at all costs. Job seekers should ensure their references can be trusted to give positive descriptions to their prospective employers.